Fully enclosed bottle package



June 1965 D. E. CONRADES 3,186,545

FULLY ENCLOSED BOTTLE PACKAGE Filed NOV. 8, 1962 FIG 3 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. DAVID E. CONRADES BY sy hmmn A T m A/E VS June 1, 1965 D. E.CONRADES.

FULLY ENCLOSED BOTTLE PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 8, 1962INVENTOR. DAVID E. comp/105s B071, MAJ-Jab;

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,186,545 FULLY ENCLQSED BOTTLE PACKAGEDavid E. Comrades, Menlo Park, Calif., assignor to St. Regis PaperCompany, a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 236,1932 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates generally to a fullenclosed container package, and more particularly to a carrier fullyenclosing an assembly of capped bottles for carrying the bottles as aunit.

An object of this invention is to provide a rnul ticontainer packagewhich is aesthetically pleasing and provides maximum available printingarea for advertising and display purposes.

Another object is the provision of a package of capped bottles thatincludes a carrier which fully encloses the bottles with only a smallportion of the caps projecting externally of the package.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a package for aplurality of containers, which package is formed from a permanentlyconnected sleeve with releasably connected sidewall closures.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a multi-bottlepackage that includes a carrier in the form of a single, economicallymade, cardboard blank, and

' which'carrier includes as an integral part thereof means securing thebottles against movement within the package.

A still further object is to provide a package of at least one row ofbottles in side by side relation, including a carrier which is adaptedto be wrapped around the ends of the row for fully enclosing thebottles, where by the bottles may be removed from the package throughthe sidewalls of the carrier.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will bemore readily apparent in the following description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1. is .a perspective view of the fully assembled package of thisinvention, with a corner portion cut away to show interior details;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cardboard blank from which the carrier ofthis invention is formed;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional'view taken along the line33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional View taken along the line4-4 of FIG. 1;

7 FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the partially assembled package withthe sidewalls on one side of the package inan open position;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the of FIG. 1; a I

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 77 of'FIG. 6. r 7

Referring to FIG. 1, the package of this invention is indicatedgenerally at 19, and comprises a carrier formed from a single,elongated, cardboard blank 11 (FIG. 2). The blank 11 is formedwithlongitudinally spaced folding creases extending transversely across theblank to provide a first panel 15, a second panel 16, a third panel line6-6 17, and. a fourth panel 18, extending longitudinally 1 across blank11 from left to right, as viewed in FIG. 2. j The panel 15 includes apair of spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending folding creases 19,20 providing a bottom wall 21 between creases 19, 20, and a pair ofopposed lower partial sidewalls 22, 23 articulated or integrally joinedto the-lateral edges of bottom wa'l'l'21 along creases 19, 2!). Thebottom wall 21 has an integr-al extension 24 connected thereto by alaterally extending folding crease 25 having one surfacethereo-f de-3,186,545 Patented June 1, 1965 subsequently described. Lower partialsidewalls 22, 23 each have a pair of spaced, laterally outwardlyextending, wing-type locking tabs 27, 28, respectively, integrallyconnected thereto for use in maintaining the package in an assembledstate, as will be later described.

The third panel 17 is formed with an inner pair of spaced, parallel,longitudinally extending folding creases 29 providing a planar top wall30 therebetween. A pair of opposed upper partial sidewalls includingupper sections 31, 32 are articulated to the lateral edges of top wall30 at creases 29, and are integrally joined by an outer pair of foldingcreases 33, spaced outwardly from and parallel to creases 29, to thepair of middle sections 34, 35 of the upper partial sidewalls whichextend laterally outwardly from top wall 30 on opposite sides thereof.

The second panel 16 has a pair of longitudinally extending foldingcreases 36 providing an end wall 37 therebetween. A pair of laterallyoutwardly extending extensions 38, 39 are formed on opposite sides ofend wall 3'7. A pair of triangular gussets 40 connect end wall 37 to theupper sections 31, 32 of the upper partial sidewalls by convergingcreases 41.

The fourth panel 18 is similar but reversed in position to panel 16, andhas a pair of longitudinally extending folding creases 42 providing anend wali 43 therebetween terminating in right marginal edge 44. A pairof laterally outwardly extending extensions 45, 46 are formed onopposite sides of end Wall 43 and are integrally joined thereto alongcreases 42. A pair of triangular gussets 47 connect end wall 43 to theopposite ends of upper sections 31, 32 by converging creases 48.

The carrier is preferably partially formed by the manufacturer thereofby folding the blank centrally about crease 13. The flap 26 is foldedabout crease 25 and permanently secured to the marginal edge 44 of endwall 43 by glue or other suitable adhesive. The partially formed carrieris shipped in a fiat, doubled-over form to the user of the carrier, suchas a brewery, where the carrier is set up to accommodate the bottles andform the package It). I

The carrier is set up from such doubled-over form by pulling the topthickness comprising panels 17, 1'8 upwardly to fold end wall 37 aboutcrease 12 and end wall 43 about crease 14 until the two end walls aresubstantially vertical and parallel to each other and the top wall 3% issubstantially horizontal and parallel to the bottom wall 21. Thebottlesare then inserted through the open sidewalls of the carrier andpositioned on the horizontal bottom wall 2 1 and under the spaced,parallel top wall 30.

The bottom wall 21 is adapted to support at least one row of containers,such as bottles 49, in parallel, side by side relation. The bottles 49are of the type having generally cylindrical lower body portions 50 andneck portions 51 thereon coaxial with and extending upwardly from bodyportions 50 providing sloping shoulders 52. The upper open end of eachbottle is closed by a removable cap 53 (FIG. 4) which is secured on thebottle by crimping to provide each cap with an axially downwardly facingsurface 54 around the upper end of each neck portion 51.

' ,.With the blank illustrated, there are three bottles 49 fining a gluestrip 26 for forming the carrier, as will be in each of two rows, andpartially stamped from the bot-' tom wall 21 are three spacer tabs 55(FIG. 2) that are adapted to be bent upwardly along aligned creases 56that are substantially midway between creases 19, 20. Tabs 55 arepositioned to extend between the adjacent bottles in the two rows, asseen in FIGS. 6 and 7, thus spacing the rows of bottles apart.

Two other pairs of tabs 57 that are longer than the tabs 55 arepartially stamped from bottom wall 21, and are integrally connected withsaid wall along creases 58. The creases 58 are positioned so that thetabs 57 when folded upwardly at right angles to the bottom wall will bebetween the lower body portions 50 of the adjacent bottles in each row(FIGS. 6, 7).

When the bottles 49 are thus positioned on the bottom wall 21, the endbottles of'the rows'will be along creases 25, 12, respectively, with theend wall 37 extending across and substantially in engagement with theend bottles of said one end of the rows. The extensions 38, 39 arefolded inwardly to tangentially engage a portion of the opposite,laterally outwardly facing sides of the said end bottles (FIG. 6). Theend wall 43 extends across and substantially in engagement with the endbottles of the other end of the rows. The extensions 45, 46 are foldedinwardly to tangentially engage a portion'of the oppo- 'site, laterallyoutwardly facing sides of the said end bottles.

The upper sections 31, 32 of the upper partial sidewalls each have a rowof openings 59 formed therein by arcuate cuts 60 along creases 29 inalignment with caps 53 through each of which openings a small outwardlyfacing portion of a cap projects (FIG. 1). The openings 59 are formed byfolding upper sections 31,32 downwardly and outwardly from top wall 30about creases 29 to define tab members 61 extending laterally outwardlyin the plane of topwall and seated on top of their respective caps tofacilitate the vertical stacking of other packages 10. It is notnecessary that atab member 61 be provided for each opening 59, as a tabmember adjacent each of the four corners of top wall 30 is sufficientfor stacking purposes.

A marginal portion of the upper'sections 31, 32 around each of theopenings 59 is slit radially by cuts 62 fromthe edge of eachof saidopenings to provide a pair of yieldable sections 63 which snap under acap 53 into en-. 'gagement with the downwardly facing surface 54thereof(FIG. 4). By this means the upper sections 31, 32 are maintainedinposition against the sloping shoulders of the bottles, and the upperends of the bottlesare secured against movement Within the carrier.

' The gussets 40, 47am folded inwardly between the shoulders of the endbottles of .therows and the respective ends of upper sections 31, 32, asshown in FIGS. 1,3 and 5, and maintained therebetween by the uppersections 31, 32 when the said upper sections are in the above-describedposition. v

' The middle sections 34, of the upper partial sidewalls are foldeddownwardly about creases 33 to extendin generally vertical,,parallelrelation against the out-' wardly, oppositely facing sides of thebottles from ,the

shoulders thereof to a point intermediate the shoulders and the bottom.ofthe, bottles ,(FIG. 7). The lower partial sidewalls 22, 23 are thenfolded upwardly about creases 19, 20, respectively, against theoutwardly facing -lower' portions 513 of the, bottles, with the marginalportion adjacent the laterally extending free edge of lower partialsidewalls 22, 23 overlapping a similar portion of middle sections 34,35, respectively.

Each middle section "34,35 has a pair of locking means 64, 65,-respectively, formed by converging cuts 66, 67, and arcuate scored lines68, 69, respectively, adapted to 'be' pushed inwardly by locking tabs27,28, respectively,

to maintain the lapping relation between. middle sections 34, 35 andlower partial sidewalls 22,l23,respectively,'

a thereby releasably connecting partial sidewalls 22', 31, 34 and 323,:32, 35 to form opposed composite sidewallsi;

The top wall 313 is formed with a'pair of fingeropena 7o" j ings bypartially stamping tabs 71'out of the top wall. 1 intermediate foldingcreases 13,14 and the pair ofcreases;

'71 are pushed downwardly bytwo fingers of the lifting hand, and thelifting pressure will be along the creases 72 Where'the openings 70 arereinforced by tabs 71.

Each lower partial sidewall 22, 23 is provided with a tear strip 73, 74,respectively, to facilitate opening the package for access to thebottles. Tear strip 73 in lower partial sidewall 22 is formed by cuts 75providing lines of weakness, and terminates at one end in a pull tab 76.A channel-shaped cut 77 in extension 33 (FIG. 2), allows a person toeasily grasp the pull tab 76 and tear the strip 73 from lowerpartialsidewall 22.

Tear strip 74' is similar and generally parallel to strip 73. Strip 74is formed by cuts 78 terminating in pull tab 79. A channel-shaped cut 80in extension 45 permits easy. removal of tear strip 74 from lowerpartial sidewall23. .7 w a When the package 10 is thus formed, the wallsof the carrier completely covering the bottles afford adequateprotection to the bottles and provide a maximum amount of availablespace for advertising? and other printed mat ter.

While the package and carrier of, this invention have been'(lescribedwith specific reference to the embodiment thereof illustratedin the accompanying drawings, it will a be understood that variousmodifications and changes may be made 'within the skill andunderstandingof persons skilled in the art without de'parting. from the,spirit and scope of the invention as'defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1.fA multi-container package,comprising:

sloping shoulders, in substantially side-by-side I613:

tion; (b) a carrier for saidicontainers including asingle elongatedblank formed with folding creases extending transversely thereof andspacedlongitudinally of said blank to providea top,, a bottom, and apair of end .wall' panels extending in end-to-end relationlongitudinally of the blank; e i (c), means connectingthe ends ofsaidblank to form a sleeve encompassing said 'row ofv containers with saidbottom panel supporting said containers thereon, said top panelextending across andin engagement with the tops of the caps of saidcontainers, and said end wall panels extending across and substantiallyin engagement 'with' the oppositely outwardly facing sides of the endcontainers in said row; j. i Y (d); said blank furtherdnclu'ding apairof upper and a pairfof lower partial sidewall panelsrespectivelyintegrally joined valong longitudinally extending foldingcreases to said top and bottom panels; (e) said partial sidewallpanelsbeing folded down- 7 wardly and upwardly respe'ctivelyfrom said top andbottom panels to positions extending across and substantially inengagement with the oppositely outwardly facing sides of theicontainersof said row; 1 (f) means connecting adjacent edges of said upper and'lower partial sidewall panels forforming'composite sidewall panelstherefrom; p. 2 7 (g) said ,upperpartial sidewallgpanels includingvupper and middle sectionsintegrally joinedt'o each other alonglongitudinally extending foldingcreases; (h) said upper sectionsextending: outwardly downwardly from said top panel'at generally. thesame I I slope as saidshoulders of; said containers; and, (i) triangulargusset sectionsintegrally joined along transversely extendingfoldingcreases to said upper capped containers, having slopingshoulders, ,in' substan- 29; The tabs 71 are integral with the top wallalong parit .allel folding creases 72 that extend laterally" of theblank. When a person wishesjto carry the package,-'th e;" tabs tiallyside-by-side relation, saidcarrier. comprising:

(a) a single elongated blankgformed with folding creases extendingtransversely thereof and spaced longitudinally of said blank to providea top, a bottom, and a pair of end wall panels extending in end-to-endrelation longitudinally of the blank;

- (b) means connecting the ends of said blank to form a sleeve forencompassing said row of containers with said bottom panel being adaptedto support said containers thereon, with said top panel being adapted toextend across and be in engagement with the tops of the caps of saidcontainers, and with said end wall panels being adapted to extend acrossand be substantially in engagement with the oppositely outwardly facingsides of the end containers in said row; (c) said blank furtherincluding a pair of upper and a pair of lower partial sidewall panelsrespectively integrally joined along longitudinally extending foldingcreases to said top and bottom panels; (d) said partial sidewall panelsbeing folded downwardly and upwardly respectively from said top andbottom panels to positions adapted to extend across and be substantiallyin engagement with the oppositely outwardly facing sides of thecontainers of said; 7

(f) said upper partial sidewall panels including upper and middlesections integrally joined to each other 7 along longitudinallyextending folding creases;

(g) said upper sections extending outwardly downwardly from said toppanel at generally the same slope as said shoulders of said containers;and,

(h) triangular gusset sections integrally joined along transverselyextending folding creases to said upper sections and said end panels andfolded oppositely inwardly between said upper sections and saidshoulders.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,968,877 8/34'Cubberley 20665 X 2,008,443 7/ Froehlig 229-31 2,171,615 9/39Wessehnan. 2,899,123 8/59 Currie 206- 2,982,400 5/61 Andre 206--652,990,997 7/61 Weiss 206-65 3,054,550 V 9/62 Comstock 229- 31 3,090,5205/ 63 Wuerthner 220-112 3,108,414 10/63 Schleichler et al. 206-65 THERONE. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

2. A MULTI-CONTAINER CARRIER FOR AT LEAST ONE ROW OF CAPPED CONTAINERS,HAVING SLOPING SHOULDERS, IN SUBSTANTIALLY SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION, SAIDCARRIER COMPRISING: (A) A SINGLE ELONGATED BLANK FORMED WITH FOLDINGCREASES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREOF AND SPACED LONGITUDINALLY OF SAIDBLANK TO PROVIDE A TOP, A BOTTOM, AND A PAIR OF END WALL PANELSEXTENDING IN ENDTO-END RELATION LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BLANK; (B) MEANSCONNECTING THE ENDS OF SAID BLANK TO FORM A SLEEVE FOR ENCOMPASSING SAIDROW OF CONTAINERS WITH SAID BOTTOM PANEL BEING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT SAIDCONTAINERS THEREON, WITH SAID TOP PANEL BEING ADAPTED TO EXTEND ACROSSAND BE IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TOPS OF THE CAPS OF SAID CONTAINERS, ANDWITH SAID END WALL PANELS BEING ADAPTED TO EXTEND ACROSS AND BESUBSTANTIALLY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OPPOSITELY OUTWARDLY FACING SIDESOF THE END CONTAINERS IN SAID ROW; (C) SAID BLANK FURTHER INCLUDING APAIR OF UPPER AND A PAIR OF LOWER PARTIAL SIDEWALL PANELS RESPECTIVELYINTEGRALLY JOINED ALONG LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FOLDING CREASES TO SAIDTOP AND BOTTOM PANELS;